Elephants vs. autism in Thailand

Can elephant therapy help autistic kids? An innovative program in Lampang, Thailand aims to find out. It's enlisted a pair of playful pachyderms, Nua Un and Prathida, to interact with autistic children.

In this photo, an autistic boy interacts with Prathida.

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An autistic child rides Prathida, a female elephant. "The elephant is such a big stimulus it can keep the attention of an individual longer, and since it is such a wonderful animal bonding can occur," says therapist Nuntanee Satiansukpong.

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Nuntanee Satiansukpong rides Nua Un. Nuntanee worked out six key activities for therapy sessions, from feeding the elephants to playing games with them and creating elephant-themed art. Each activity is designed to improve a specific skill.

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An autistic boy rides Nua Un. In addition to riding the elephants, the children clean the elephants and play ball games with them.

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Autistic children feed Nua Un. They also have to draw up shopping lists for the elephants and buy their food at a mock store.

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An autistic boy splashes water on Nua Un. Elephants are woven into the fabric of Thai culture, familiar to children since birth. Their intelligence allows for a wide range of interaction with humans, and they are especially attention-grabbing to autistic children.

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An autistic boy helps to clean Nua Un.

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Autistic children ride Nua Un through the forests of northern Thailand. Although autism is incurable, therapy and medication can improve speech, learning and social problems, and reduce behavior like tantrums.